Skov looks to learn from 49ers' star linebackers

SANTA CLARA -- Shayne Skov may have gone undrafted out of Stanford but he's confident he can be a productive linebacker again under 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, his former coaches on The Farm.

"I'm going to make my mark on this team," Skov said Thursday. "I'm going to be able to contribute to this team at some point."

A familiarity with the 49ers' coaches and scheme led Skov to take the 49ers' offer Saturday. Skov considered the Raiders before taking the 49ers' three-year deal that includes $10,000 in guarantees, according to Comcast SportsNet Bay Area.

Also enticing is the prospect of joining arguably the league's best linebacker corps.

"I've got an opportunity to learn from the best linebackers in the game, between NaVorro (Bowman) and Pat (Willis)," Skov said.

Bowman isn't expected to return from knee surgery until midseason, opening the door for an undrafted player such as Skov to win a spot. He'll be competing against Michael Wilhoite, Nick Moody and fellow rookie Chris Borland, a third-round draft pick out of Wisconsin.

"The coaches have a belief in me and my abilities as a player," Skov said. "And I have a belief in me. Obviously, I'm an undrafted free agent, so I have to get to work and prove myself but I think I've got that opportunity here."

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Skov deemed himself healthy as he's started offseason workouts with the 49ers this week. Aside from calf and hamstring strains that hindered him pre-draft, Skov has overcome a 2011 injury that included torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee and a broken tibia.

Skov wrapped up his Stanford career last season with a career-high 109 tackles (13 for loss) and 5 ½ sacks.

He isn't banking on his familiarity with Fangio's system to necessarily yield a roster spot.

"The college game is different from the pro game, with what's going on in the passing game," Skov said. "There's a lot of connections from what we did in the past but a lot of things are different."